- Mumbai Indians part ways with Malinga, Mhambrey and Hopkinson as part of a major coaching overhaul. Mumbai Indians have confirmed the departure of bowling coach Lasith Malinga, Paras Mhambrey and fielding coach Carl Hopkinson from the men’s team coaching staff.
- (Photo Source: Twitter) The Mumbai Indians announced on October 29, 2026 that Lasith Malinga, Paras Mhambrey and Carl Hopkinson would be stepping down from their respective roles in the men’s team coaching staff, marking a major overhaul of the coaching staff of one of the IPL’s most storied franchises.
- This is part of a major internal overhaul of the franchise after former player Kieron Pollard was pointed as the franchise’s head coach in place of the outgoing Mahela Jayawardene.
Mumbai Indians part ways with Malinga, Mhambrey and Hopkinson as part of a major coaching overhaul. Mumbai Indians have confirmed the departure of bowling coach Lasith Malinga, Paras Mhambrey and fielding coach Carl Hopkinson from the men’s team coaching staff.
(Photo Source: Twitter) The Mumbai Indians announced on October 29, 2026 that Lasith Malinga, Paras Mhambrey and Carl Hopkinson would be stepping down from their respective roles in the men’s team coaching staff, marking a major overhaul of the coaching staff of one of the IPL’s most storied franchises. This is part of a major internal overhaul of the franchise after former player Kieron Pollard was pointed as the franchise’s head coach in place of the outgoing Mahela Jayawardene. “Mumbai Indians sincerely thank Lasith, Paras and Carl for their contributions to the team and the entire MI family.
Their dedication, the relationships they built and the memories they helped create will always be part of our journey. We wish each of them the best in their future endeavors,” the franchise said in a press release. Why are Malinga, Mhambrey and Hopkinson leaving Mumbai Indians?
Mumbai Indians have not publicly stated the reasons for any of the three departures, but their decision is linked to the franchise’s lack of success in the recent past. In the last three years, the franchise, which has won the IPL Trophy five times, a joint record, has reached the playoffs just once, finishing between 10th and 9th. There continues to be speculation about the lockdown situation after Hardik Pandya’s tumultuous return to a trade deal in 2024.
Pandya was named a member of the team, but under the all-round star’s leadership, the team managed to qualify for the playoffs only once in three seasons. What has each starting coach brought to Mumbai Indians? Lasith Malinga is considered one of the most iconic figures in Mumbai’s Indian history.
The Sri Lankan fast bowling legend was a player with the franchise for 11 years, pearing in 139 matches and taking 195 wickets with an economy rate of 7.12 before retiring in 2021. Lasith’s role in leading MI’s bowling attack was central to four IPL title triumphs in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, and he was instrumental in the franchise’s Champions League T20 victory in 2011. He served as MI’s mentor in 2018 before later returning to the team as bowling coach.
Paras Mhambrey enjoyed a long and valuable association with the Mumbai Indians over two different periods, first from 2010 to 2017 and then upon his return in 2024. He was part of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in 2024. Carl Hopkinson moved to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2025 season after being England’s defensive coach from 2018 and being part of the support team for England’s 2019 ODI World Cup triumph and 2022 T20 World Cup victory.
